Nigeria's state police: Historic reform faces governor abuse fears

Nigeria is embarking on a historic restructuring of its federal governance with the establishment of state police, a move widely advocated for over the years to decentralize the policing system. Dr. Monday Ubani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, described the bill as a milestone, commending the current government and the 10th National Assembly for taking practical steps to reform the policing architecture.

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This is historic, it’s clearly a milestone by this particular government and it’s really commendable.

"This is historic, it’s clearly a milestone by this particular government and it’s really commendable," Ubani stated in an interview on Arise TV. He emphasized that the over-centralization of policing in the past has failed to adequately guarantee lives and properties, making the move towards state policing a necessary and welcome development.

However, Ubani voiced significant concerns regarding the potential for abuse of power by state governors, a fear shared by many. "The fear of everyone, including those who were hit by this news, is the issue of abuse by the state governors," he said. While acknowledging that the bill includes guardrails to prevent some abuses, particularly in the appointment of the state police commissioner and recruitment processes, he remains apprehensive.

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The fear of everyone, including those who were hit by this news, is the issue of abuse by the state governors.

Ubani specifically pointed to the governor's role in appointing the state commissioner of police as a critical point of concern. "If it still remains in the hands of the governor to appoint the commissioner of police, I don’t know how it is going to work, in terms of reducing the abusive system that may likely occur with regard to appointment because who pays the piper dictates the tune," he explained. He suggested that the state police service commission should be responsible for this appointment to ensure greater fidelity to federalism and reduce the risk of partisan influence.

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If it still remains in the hands of the governor to appoint the commissioner of police, I don’t know how it is going to work, in terms of reducing the abusive system that may likely occur with regard to appointment because who pays the piper dictates the tune.